1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods for using a wireless cell phone or other communications device in combination with a desktop computer monitor, keyboard and mouse to create a desktop computing environment. In particular, the invention relates to a system, method and apparatus in which the user of a wireless cell phone device establishes a direct connection with a desktop computer monitor, keyboard, mouse or other component using any combination of wireline connections and wireless connections. The present invention also relates to techniques for leveraging the use of a handheld communication device to other devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Changes in the use and technological capabilities of wireless cell phone and other communications devices, e.g., Blackberry and Palm devices, have led to the rapid adoption of handheld cell phone devices as personal communications tools capable of supporting voice mail, email, calendars, contact lists and related applications. Handheld wireless devices are also commonly used to store and access music, videos and other forms of electronic entertainment and media. The increasing availability of Internet services and applications, particularly those that store a user's data in a computer server, data center or other location on the network independently of the user's handheld or desktop computer, and make that data available to other Internet or network-hosted services and applications, have given end-users the ability to access and store their important data, documents and applications on the Internet, e.g., using a browser in combination with their desktop computer hardware and software. With further technological advances, the traditional personal computer will be eclipsed by this on-going “off-shelving” process of moving data to more remote resources dedicated for this purpose.
Software applications, such as word processors, spreadsheets and database applications, generally require the use of a traditional desktop computer having a CPU, large amounts of random access memory, and one or more disk drives. Software applications and services available over the Internet, however, no longer require a high-performance CPU, large amounts of random access memory, a desktop computer disk drive or a traditional desktop computer operating system for their operation. What these Internet software applications and services do require to operate effectively is a sufficiently high bandwidth Internet or other network connection, a sufficiently capable browser, and standard desktop input and output devices, such as a digital display screen, keyboard and mouse, printer, and a speaker or a speaker system.
Although a number of companies, including Texas Instruments and Siemens, currently offer rudimentary products that allow a cell phone to project images, presentations and movies onto a wall or other nearby surface, Applicant is unaware of any product that allows a cell phone to transmit browser-based content to a nearby full-size digital display device, such as a computer monitor, or otherwise leverage the capabilities of the cell phone or other communications device in this matter.
In all cases where wireless cell phone devices are used to send and receive data, the user is confined to the use of the cell phone itself as a handheld computing device. None of the current methodologies for using a wireless cell phone device as a computer take into account the need or desire to have a full-size computer monitor or other full-size digital display device as a visual output device, as well as a full-size keyboard and full-size mouse device as user-operated input devices for manipulating data or issuing commands remotely through the handheld communications device. Specifically, the prior art fails to demonstrate any system, method or apparatus that disengages wireless cell phone and other communications device users from the ergonomic constraints of the small, low-resolution displays presently associated with handheld computing devices, and the small, portable keypad and control key input devices presently associated with handheld computing devices.
Furthermore, the prior art also fails to demonstrate any system, method or apparatus, whereby a wireless cell phone device may be used in place of a traditional computer, i.e., treat a wireless cell phone or other communications device as a thin client. In this instance, the thin client has only a TCP/IP software interface, browser software capable of supporting a high-resolution desktop monitor, the software device drivers necessary to allow desktop computer-based Internet software applications and services to communicate directly with the desktop monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers and printer devices, and the peripheral communications hardware and software necessary to establish physical communications with the desktop monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers and printer devices. In other words, this paradigm removes any requirements for the disk drives and other high-capacity storage mechanisms normally associated with desktop computers.
Furthermore, the prior art fails to demonstrate any system, method or apparatus that allows wireless cell phone users to access forms of digital media, including movies, music, and streaming video over the Internet or other network, and to display and otherwise transmit that media through the cell phone to full-size audio and video devices, such as desktop computer monitors, digital display screens and speaker systems directly or indirectly attached to the wireless cell phone device.
There is, therefore, a present need to provide an improved paradigm for using a wireless cell phone or other such communications device as a central component of a desktop or other such computing environment. For example, in the desktop environment this includes a desktop computer monitor or other full-size digital display device used as a visual output device, and a full-size desktop keyboard and mouse as a user input device, thereby allowing the wireless device user to overcome the aforementioned ergonomic and other constraints of existing handheld wireless devices, and better exploit the enhancements of the new wireless and other technologies offered, particularly as Web 3.0 concepts are enabled.
There is a further need to provide an improved paradigm for using a wireless cell phone or other communications device as a central component of a desktop or other such computing environment that includes, in addition to a desktop computer monitor and a desktop keyboard and mouse, the use of desktop speakers and a desktop printer.